Yes, I saw that interesting change. One would think that all NDE experiencers would come back claiming the correctness of Catholicism or Advaita or Islam or whatever, but they don't (with a few exceptions).

I've read a truckload of NDE books over the last few months, and very of them seem to really fit in with traditional religious paradigms. There seems to be (in some) a period of judgment, but there seems to be an absence of a cosmic judge. People with less than stellar religious backgrounds and affi...

I think that losing metaphysics is impoverishing, and leaves us with a shell, a bottle of over the counter general purpose medicine (to torture the analogy even further), that is hardly better than good manners or, heaven forbid, secular Buddhism. I have to agree with David Brazier where, in "Buddhi...

Hi mym, Fantastic. Where are you based? I'm in Johannesburg. Which tradition do you practice in? You can send me an email, I think there's a function for that somewhere here. I haven't explored much yet on this site but yes it does seem like a really great site. Very pure. Good to make contact :) H...

Hi All, Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm a South African, I've been studying and practicing Buddhism in some form or another for about 6 years. My main practice is mindfulness meditation. I'm not a member of any particular group, I've visited the Gelug temple here (the only one on the entire Af...

He's my all time favourite Bujew. Cohen's had a tough trot....what with his close, trusted assistant raiding his retirement fund and leaving the old man fleeced. Joshu Sasaki, his Zen teacher of many years exposed as a sexual predator showing his dark side and finally revealed to all at the age of ...

I've always had an unusually low view of politics and politicians, but when I see the choices you now have in the US, the ones we have here in South Africa, or pretty much worldwide, I can just shake my head and confirm my intense dislike for the political circus. I would laugh at the clowns if the ...

Dear Tom As I grow older, and the world seems to become a darker place, I find that I practice less and do more practical stuff. Like feeding people, helping them in my professional life without charging a fee, helping animals in need, even getting involved in "political" and "engaged Buddhism" situ...

Once we have an imprint of an action in our mind, it tends to be habit-forming. As is often said in wars for example, killing the first enemy is tough, but after a handful, one quickly loses count and it becomes "normal". As the Buddha taught: "Do not think a small sin will not return in your futur...

I really believe that the moderators here can lighten up a bit, and that goes for language, for topics and for tough debates. The Dharma, and its practitioners, can handle more than what you seem to think. Open the windows, let the fresh air and sunlight stream in. Some of the rules here would plea...

It is a general comment, an opinion, on a thread dedicated to such a discussion. No PM's necessary. I simply have in mind the practice whereby certain contentious discussions are terminated or discouraged long before there is any need for that. We are, in my view, too sensitive about language and th...